In SHA-256 hashing, passwords start with $5$:Įncrypted-password '$5$ABC123' # SECRET-DATA >#SHA-256 hashed starts with $5$ In Junos OS release 15.1, when a password is configured as plain text, SHA-256 hashing is performed and the password is stored as encrypted text. Root> show configuration system root-authenticationĮncrypted-password '$1$ABC123.' # SECRET-DATA ># MD5 hashed starts with $1$ In MD5 hashing, passwords start with $1$: root> show version In Junos OS release 12.3 and earlier, when a password is configured as plain text, MD5 hashing is performed and the password is stored as encrypted text.

In Junos OS release 17.2 and later images, SHA-512 encryption is used and the password starts with $6$. In Junos OS release 15.1 image, SHA-256 encryption is used and the password starts with $5$.

In Junos OS release 12.3 and earlier images, MD5 encryption is used and the password starts with $1$. Therefore, if a password that is encrypted by using SHA-256 in Junos OS release 15.1 is provided to Junos OS releases 12.3 and earlier, the password decryption will fail. This is a limitation in Junos OS release 12.3. In Junos OS release 12.3 and earlier images, encrypting and decrypting of passwords by using SHA-256 is not supported. There is a difference in the way a plain-text password is hashed and stored as encrypted in Junos OS release 15.1 and in release 12.3 and earlier. What are the password hashing and encryption differences between Junos OS releases? This applies to both root and non-root passwords. I'm using the correct root password, but still cannot log in When an EX Series switch is downgraded from Junos OS release 15.1 to release 12.3, the SHA-256-hashed password does not work. This article indicates the difference in hashing or encryption between the two releases, and provides a workaround to make password decryption successful after a downgrade.

When an EX Series switch is downgraded from Junos OS release 15.1 to release 12.3 after implementing any changes, such as root-authentication password change or creation of new users, the password credentials will not work due to a difference in the hashing mechanism used in the two releases.

Juniper Encrypted Password Crack 1